Natasha's Law and What It Means for Curry Takeaways

One Tragic Story That Changed the Law for Every Food Business

In 2016, fifteen-year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse died after eating a Pret a Manger baguette that contained sesame, to which she was severely allergic. The ingredient wasn't listed on the packaging because, at the time, foods prepared on the premises and packed for direct sale didn't require full ingredient labelling. Her parents' campaign led to a seismic change in UK food law that came into force on 1st October 2021 — a change that affects every curry takeaway, café, and restaurant that sells pre-packed food.

If your curry restaurant or takeaway sells any food that's been prepared and packaged before a customer orders it — and that includes a surprising range of items — you need to understand Natasha's Law and comply with it fully. The consequences of getting this wrong aren't just legal. They're potentially fatal.

What Exactly Does Natasha's Law Require?

The law applies specifically to food that is "Pre-Packed for Direct Sale" — known by the unwieldy acronym PPDS. This is food that's been prepared and packaged on the same premises from which it's sold, before a customer selects or orders it. Think of containers of curry sitting in a display fridge, pre-portioned desserts in sealed tubs, or bags of homemade spice mix sold at the till.

For all PPDS items, you must provide a label that includes:

1. The name of the food — A clear description, not a brand name alone. "Chicken Tikka Masala" rather than "Chef's Special."
2. A full ingredients list — Every single ingredient used in the product.
3. Allergen emphasis — The 14 major allergens must be highlighted within the ingredients list, typically in bold, italics, or CAPITALS.

The 14 Allergens You Must Declare

Under UK food law, these fourteen allergens must be declared whenever they're present in a product:

• Celery
• Cereals containing gluten (wheat, barley, rye, oats)
• Crustaceans
• Eggs
• Fish
• Lupin
• Milk
• Molluscs
• Mustard
• Nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, etc.)
• Peanuts
• Sesame
• Soya
• Sulphur dioxide (often in dried fruits and some wines used in cooking)

For curry takeaways, several of these crop up constantly. Milk and cream in korma and tikka masala. Nuts in many gravies and desserts. Mustard in pickles and some spice blends. Gluten in naan bread, bhajis, and samosas. Sesame in some naan bread recipes. You need to know exactly what's in every single product you pre-pack, right down to the brand of cooking oil you use.

What Counts as PPDS in a Curry Takeaway?

This is where many takeaways trip up. PPDS applies to food that's been packaged before a customer orders it. If you prepare a batch of chicken tikka masala and portion it into sealed containers that sit in a display fridge for customers to grab, that's PPDS — and every container needs a full label.

However, if a customer phones in an order and you freshly prepare and pack the food to their specific request, that's generally not PPDS — it's made to order. The critical distinction is whether the food was packed before or after the customer made their selection.

Common PPDS items in curry takeaways include: pre-portioned curry pots in display fridges, sealed desserts (kheer, gulab jamun), packaged pickles and chutneys, bags of poppadoms, pre-made samosas and bhajis in heated display cabinets (if sealed/wrapped before display), and any packaged food sold at the counter.

Creating Compliant Labels

Your labels must be attached directly to the packaging — a separate sheet or a folder behind the counter doesn't count. The information must be easily legible and not obscured. Many takeaways use pre-printed adhesive labels produced from a template, with allergens highlighted in bold. Label printers suitable for food businesses start from around £80-150.

Here's a simplified label example: Chicken Tikka Masala — Ingredients: Chicken (30%), Tomatoes, Onions, Cream (Milk), Yoghurt (Milk), Vegetable Oil, Garlic, Ginger, Spices (Cumin, Coriander, Turmeric, Chilli, Fenugreek, Garam Masala), Cashew Nuts, Salt, Sugar.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Environmental Health Officers check PPDS compliance during routine inspections, and it can directly impact your food hygiene rating. In serious cases, non-compliance can result in improvement notices, fixed penalty notices, or prosecution under food safety legislation. Fines can run into thousands of pounds, and a prosecution is a matter of public record that can devastate your reputation.

More importantly, getting allergen labelling wrong can kill someone. The stakes genuinely couldn't be higher.

Getting Help

Your local authority's Environmental Health team can provide guidance on PPDS compliance — many offer free advisory visits. The Food Standards Agency website has comprehensive resources and labelling templates. And if your menu is complex, consider working with a food safety consultant to audit your products and create compliant labels.

For a deeper dive into managing allergens across your entire operation, see our guide to allergen management for curry restaurants. And for broader labelling requirements beyond PPDS, our article on food labelling laws for curry takeaways covers everything you need.